Joint



Oct. 6, 1936. I v CCRAWFORD v JOINT Original Filed March 6, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1936. v F. c. CRAWFORD 2,056,257

JOINT Original Filed March 6, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/l/ /IflIIIIIIIIIII'JIW- IIIIIAWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA .z 74 5177577 Frederic? C U/uW/omi'.

I if @/M Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOINT Frederick 0. Crawford, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Thompson Products, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 9 Claims. (Cl. 287-) This invention relates to an improved joint construction and will be hereinafter described as incorporated in devices suitable for use in steering mechanisms for automotive vehicles.

This application is a division of my prior copending application entitled Method of making joints, Serial No. 659,773, filed March 6, 1933, now a patent, No. 2,025,727 of Dec. 31, 1935.

Anobject of this invention is the provision of an improved joint of the class identified which is extremely durable, of simple construction, and which is designed to be automatically adjusted to compensate for wear of the relatively. movable; engaging friction surfaces..

Another object is the provision of a joint wherein a rubber packing or the like is employed for exerting a radial compression upon a metallic sleeve to maintain the sleeve in constant and substantially uniform frictional engagement with a bearing portion of one of the relatively movable joint members, to obviate the necessity of service or manual adjustment.

Another object of this invention is toproduce a novel socket element for the joint from a single piece of tubular metal.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and annexed drawings which form a part of this specification.

, On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tubular metal member from which a socket element incorporated in this invention may be formed.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate progresive steps in the forming of the metal tube into a socket element. V a

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-section through the element as shown constructed in Figure 4 and additionally illustrating a rubber bushing in the housing together with means for holding the bushing therein. 7

' Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure 5, and illustrating an additional step for the completion of the socket element.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through an assembled device according to this invention showing the mechanism illustrated in Figure 6 together with a stud and associated elements applied to the socket element for completing the Figure 9 is a top plan view of the rubber bushing employed in this device and also illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

As shown on the drawings:

This invention will be best understood by a description of the method by which it is fabricated. As illustrated in Figure 1, numeral 6 designates a metal tube adapted to be upset and expanded by any suitable well-known means for forming a socket element, designated as a whole by reference numeral 1, and comprising a tubular shank 8 at one end and a box-like housing 9 at the other end (Figure 2). For purposes of illustration, the box-like housing 9 is shown to be rectangular in cross-section, but this invention is not limited to any specific shape or form of the housing.

.Thevhousing 9 is open at one end, as indicated at H, for the reception of a bushing l4, illustrated in Figure 9. After the necessary expanding operations have been completed for forming the housing 9, aligned openings [2 and I3 are formed in oppositely disposed side walls I5 and I6 to receive therethrough another element of the joint.

Figure 4 illustrates a further operation in which marginal portions of the top and bottom walls have been cut away forming recesses l8 and 19 at the open end.

The next step is illustrated in Figure 5 which shows the rubber bushing l4 in place. A plate 2| is. seated in the bottom or end of the socket opposite the open end for closing communication between the housing and the hollow tubular shank 8. The bushing I4 is seated tightly against the plate 2 I and is confined by a closure plate 22 seated in the recesses I8, and I9 and provided with flanges 24 and 25 engaging at opposite edges of the housing to prevent displacement.

The next operation comprises bending the I marginal edges 26 and 2'! of the sides I5 and I6 over the plate 22, thereby forming inwardly extending flanges for securely confining the plate 22 together with the bushing I4 and the plate 2| in position. e

The completed joint, illustrated in Figure 7, additionally includes a stud member 3 I. Interposed between the bushing I4 and the bearing portion 32 of the stud, is a metallic sleeve 33 (Figure 8) having a cylindrical bearing portion 44 and a flared base portion 45. The sleeve 33 is preferably split, as indicated at 34, in order thatit may be contracted by force exerted upon it by the bushing l4 for constantly maintaining the bearing portion 44 of the sleeve in firm engagement with the cylindrical bearing portion 32 of the stud 3| to compensate for wear of the relatively moving friction surfaces and to obviate the necessity of manual adjustments or repair of the joint.

Upon the lower end of the stud is secured a closure plate 36 for the opening l3 in the side wall l6. A resilient washer 31 is interposed between the margins of the plate 36 and the wall I6 to facilitate limited universal movement of the stud 3! relative to the socket element 1. A washer 39, disposed about the intermediate portion of the stud, normally closes the opening-l2 through the side wall I5. It will be understood that when this device is in use, a suitable actuating arm or element to be actuatedby the stud may be fitted upon the upper portion of the stud and confined between a coil spring ll and a nutv 42 on the stud member 3|. to resiliently maintain the washer 39 in position.

The bushing I4 is preferably of a size and shape to snugly fit the housing 9. and is provided with a central opening through which the stud 3|. is adapted to be inserted. The central opening of the bushing 44 is preferably provided with a plurality of axially convex sectors 41, as .shown in Figures Sand 9, which sectors. are spaced from each other circumferentially, providing axially extending grooves or recesses, preferably of a channel shape as indicated at 48 (Figures 6 and 9) Upon insertion of the stud 3|, the material of the bushing I4. is deformed sothat it flows circumferentially and enters the recesses 48. -This construction obviates axial displacement of the bushing material and reserves the material at a point where it is most available for compensating for wear on the sleeve 33 and the stud 3|. By this construction, it is possible to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the sleeve 33 and insure a uniform operation of the joint for a long period of time without perceptible deterioration.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the specific joint construction shown in the drawings, but is susceptible of various forms and modifications without departing from the principle thereof. It is desired therefore that the patent to be granted hereon shall not be restricted in any manner except as necessitated by the prior art. 7 w r I claim as my invention:

1. In a joint of the class described, a socket member including a shank and a housing integral with the shank, said housing including oppositely disposed side walls with aligned openings therethrough, inwardly extending flanges on said side walls substantially closing the free end of the housing, a bushing in said housing having a stud opening therethrough in alignment with the aligned openings through said side walls, and a confining'element at each end of the housing engaged by said bushing.

82. In a joint of the class described, a socket member including a shank and a housing integral with the shank, said housing including oppositely disposed side walls with aligned openings therethrough, inwardly extending flanges on said side walls substantially closing the free end of the housing, a rubber bushing snugly fitted in said housing, a stud including a bearing portion disposed within said bushing, and a contractable metal sleeve snugly fitted on said stud and engaging said bushing.

3. In a joint of the class described, a socket member including a shank and a housing integral with the shank, said housing including oppositely The spring serves Y the aligned openings through said side walls.

i. In a joint of the class described, a socket member including a shank and a housing integral'withthe shank; said housing including oppositely disposed side walls with aligned openings therethrough, inwardly extending flanges on saidside walls substantially closing the free ,end-of the housing, a rubber bushing snugly fitted in said housing, a stud including a bearing portion disposed within said bushing, and a contractable metal sleeve snugly fitted on said stud and engaging said bushing, said bushing havingrecesses dividing the portion engaging said sleeve intoa plurality of sections and providing space for the flow of the bushing material.

5.. In. a jointv of. the'class described, a socket memberincluding a shank and a housing. integral with the shank, said housing including oppositely disposed sidewalls with aligned openings therethrough, inwardly-extending flanges on said sidewalls substantially closing the free end of the housing, arubber bushing snugly fitted in said housing, a stud including a bearing portion disposed. Within said bushing and a contractable metal sleevesnuglyfitted on said stud and engaging said bushing, and meanson said stud closing the. aligned openings through said side walls, saidbushing having recesses dividing the portion engaging said sleeve into a plurality of sectorsv and providing space for the flow of the bushing material.

6 In a joint of the class described, a socket member including a shank and a housing integral with the shank,.said housing including oppositely disposed side wallswith aligned openings. therethrough,. inwardly extending flanges on said side walls substantially closing the free end of. the housing, a rubber bushing snugly fitted in said housing, a stud including a bearing portionmdisposedwithin said bushing and a contractable. metal sleeve'snugly fitted on said stud and engaging said bushing, the opening through said bushing being normally smaller than the diameter of. the stud, such that upon insertion of the. stud the bushing is. deformed, said bushing. including a; plurality. of inwardly disposed axially convex :sectors, said sectors being circumferentially spaced to provide space for the flow ofimaterial ofthe bushing upon insertion of the stud,

Z. Inaa joint of, the class described; a socket member including a shank and a housing integral with the shank, said housing including oppositely disposed side walls with aligned openings therethrough, inwardly extending flanges on. said sidewalls. substantially closing the free end of the housing, a rubber bushing snugly f tted in said housing, a stud including a bearing portion. disposed within said bushing and a contractable metal sleeve snugly fitted on said stud and engaging said bushing, and means on said stud closing the aligned openings through said side walls, the opening through said bushing being normally smaller than the diameter of the stud;-such that :upon insertion of the stud the bushing is "deformed, said bushing including a; pluralityof inwardly disposed axially convex sectors, said sectors being circumferentially spaced to provide space for the flow of material of the bushing upon insertion of the stud.

8. A housing for joints comprising a metal tube having an enlarged box like portion thereon with an open end, said box like portion being provided with flat side and edge walls, said side walls having aligned openings therein and extending flanges on said side walls substantially 10 closing the open end of the box like portion.

9. A joint socketrlnelnber comprising a shank and an enlargedibox-olike housing integral therewith having'an open end, said housing including oppositely disposed side walls with aligned openings therethrough and said side walls extending beyond said box-like housing to provide tabs adapted to be inturned to substantially close the open end of said housing. 

